France, Pt. 1

All the ads in the Geneva airport were for watches. Not even joking.They also sold some large jars of nutella.Walking our bikes from the Swiss to the French side of the train station.Waiting hours for the train.Commandeering the cars.Chris being very nonplussed with all the traveling

Riding 30 miles, unshowered and unseatbelted, in the back of an unventilated sprinter van.The view from our front porch the night we arrived.The view from our kitchen.The houseWine shoppingCheese shoppingThe haulJust the view from the grocery store parking lot. No big deal.The living roomChallenging the mountains2 miles from the houseFrench towns

Me, losing my mind from the climbs.

Today’s ‘easy’ day of 32 miles took us up a mountain, through two mountain passes, and about 80% as much climbing as the 115 mile ride I often do to Mount Wachusett back in Massachusetts.

The views are incredible, the descents are amazing, and the climbing is grueling.